Telecommunication systems are well-known in which connection networks include multi-channel radio links as well as non-radio typically hard-wired links which will generally be referred to as cable.
Radio link networks are inevitably constrained by limited availability of radio channels within the radio spectrum assigned to such use. There is therefore a need to optimise radio channel resources.
Many subscribers of radio link networks now have more than one bandwidth requirement. For example, voice calls generally require less radio bandwidth than data transfers via computer modems, typically 32 Kilobits per second (Kb/s) and 64 Kb/s radio channels respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,393 describes provision for each subscriber to instruct periods of time in which different radio bandwidths are required for specified communication connections, including a connection controller which automatically pre-assigns an appropriate radio channel for required periods of time, and further provides cost accounting information related to such pre-assignments.